Terror in Darfur

On February 25, a speaker by the name of Dr. Mukesh Kapila spoke at Shasta College. I heard about the event through my History of Mexican Americans professor, Chris Rodriguez. It was said to be about the genocide in Darfur. I literally had no idea where Darfur was, but I did know where I was going to be later that night, in room 806.

Dr. Mukesh Kapila is the author of the book, “Against a Tide of Evil” and led the United Nation’s mission as the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Sudan. He later became a Director at the World Health Organization, and now is a professor at University of Manchester.

I was expecting a depressing topic, but I could not brace myself enough for the reality of the despair happening in Darfur. Like its predecessor, Rwanda; the region is under a reign committing terrible crimes against humanity. The Sudanese government has performed genocidal acts that have caused the deaths of nearly 500,000 people in Darfur. Dr. Kapila calls the genocide an “ethnic cleansing” where the government uses rape, displacement, organized starvation and mass murder to drive the civilians out of their land.

Sitting near the front of the room I am quickly drawn in, Dr. Kapila speaks with such raw truth and passion it is intoxicating. As he describes what he saw in Darfur he declares, “When I talk about it, I recall the stench, and I still get a metallic taste in my mouth” he goes on to explain the depressing silence of death, only to be broken by the sound of dogs feeding on dead bodies.

This is the frightening reality for the people of Darfur and it must stop.

Returning home from his trip to Darfur he made it his mission to try and end the mass murder being committed by the Sudan government. Receiving nothing but rejection from the world governments he turned to media to spread the word. He declared that this was the first global genocide of the media age and if the world powers wouldn’t listen, the world’s people would.

I am definitely listening; if you too want to assist in helping to end the genocide in Darfur you can start by visiting Dr. Mukesh Kapila’s website at, http://www.mukeshkapila.org.

Communicating concerns with our elected government officials can help raise awareness to this growing problem. And remember that, “A crime against humanity in one place, is a crime to humanity everywhere” – Mukesh Kapila.